Patriots Clinch Dual County Large Title

posted May 21, 2015, 8:09 AM by Friends of CC Girls Lacrosse

Senior Captain Jenna Carlton scored three second half goals to help ignite the Concord Carlisle offense and go on to a 17-4 victory over the Westford Grey Ghosts. The win solidified the Dual County League Large title for the Patriots playing in their first season.

The Grey Ghost came prepared to play and took control for much of the first half as they repeatedly initially won the all important draw controls, transitioned the ball well down the field and gained time of ball possession. Defensively they posed problems forcing several Patriot turnovers utilizing effect stick checking with high pressure against CC ball handlers . The Patriots struggled to get their offense flowing. Twelve minutes into the first half CC found themselves in a hole trailing 3-0.

The Patriot’s found the back of the net finally at the 13:01 mark when attacker Grace Andonian rolled the left crease with a laser like shot to the high short side. Junior attacker Cassidy Hale followed just 16 seconds later with a tally from the right crease adding a second goal only 17 seconds later off a draw control fast- break. Following a Westford time out, the Grey Ghosts scored on a free position shot to take back the lead before CC midfielder Hannah Dudley tied the game with 2:30 remaining on a free position shot. Westford won the ensuing draw control and stalled the ball for the final two minutes, taking the game into the half tied at 4 to 4.

The momentum changed dramatically in the second half when at the 22:46 mark, Patriot attacker Carlton took a pass, dodged right to left and nailed a crossing shot non stick side between the Westford pipes. A minute later Hannah Dudley found Carlton cutting across net and feeding her a nice pass that Carlton zipped by the Grey Ghost goalie giving CC a two goal margin and a 6-4 lead. Senior Patriot Captain Lexi Goodhue followed up with two gritty back to back goals to solidify the lead. Going forward, it was all Patriots as they took command of the game. Seven CC players scored ten goals during the next ten minutes as Captain Madeline Leahy led the charge while the Patriot defensemen Sophie Shipe , Brianna Stout, Emily Muschlitz and Audrey Hunt stepped up pressure on Westford allowing the Grey Ghosts only two second half shots on CC goalie and Conley Ernst. The Patriot goalie and Captain, by games’ end, had collected five saves, one interception and a near perfect second half.

Coach Morrison “"Westford did a good job of scouting our team, and giving us different looks to throw us off of our game. At halftime Captain Jenna Carlton talked to the team about matching Westford's intensity, and then Jenna went out and demonstrated what she wanted by scoring some gritty goals. The rest of the team followed suit and the result was a dominating second half."

Five Patriot players had multiple point games including Leahy (4 goals), Dudley (3 goals, 3 assists), Carlton (3 goals, 1 assist) Hale (3 goals) and Goodhue (2 goals, 1 assist). The Patriots are now 13-1 and ranked 4th in the state in Division 1.